Photo Courtesy: nenews
Guwahati: The Assam Police Special Task Force has dismantled a widespread GST fraud network that cost the state treasury nearly Rs 48 crore. Officials arrested eight individuals across Guwahati, Kolkata, and Patna following a multi-state investigation into illegal Input Tax Credit claims.
Authorities uncovered that the syndicate operated by generating fake invoices and forged e-way bills for transactions that never occurred. These documents were created using the names of non-existent businesses or entities with already cancelled registrations to bypass tax regulations. The scheme spanned the financial years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
The investigation began after a formal complaint from the Assam GST Department. STF teams executed simultaneous raids on June 14 and 15, leading to the detention of the suspects. Three of those arrested in Guwahati appeared in court and received seven days of police remand.
Investigators calculated that the direct fraudulent claims total Rs 21.06 crore, but the final liability reaches Rs 47.71 crore when including interest and penalties. Regarding the ongoing operation, the STF stated they are working to "dismantle the wider network behind the operation, and safeguard government revenue from further GST-related losses." Police expect to make more arrests as they continue to track other entities involved in the racket.
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